SES Backs Seraphim Space Fund Launch

Luxembourg, 14 September 2017 – SES announced today that it is investing in the Seraphim Space Fund in order to support innovation in the satellite industry and to encourage Research and Development (R&D) efforts across the markets served by satellite. The world-leading satellite operator will also participate in the fund’s Advisory Board.

Seraphim Space Fund is a new venture capital fund launched by Seraphim Capital. Its primary focus is to invest in projects that are commercialising data about the Earth, collected by either satellite or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Seraphim also invests in the broader technology ecosystem which supports the satellite and RPAS infrastructures and applications across a broad range of vertical markets, including construction, logistics, agriculture, finance, with a key focus on the insurance market - using insights from airborne data to evaluate risk, monitor assets and assess claims.

“SES is focused on providing reliable and secure satellite solutions to customers in our Video and Networks market segments. By investing in the Seraphim Space Fund, we will be working with other leading industry partners to push beyond the capabilities of satellites. We look forward to identifying innovative developments along the value chains and key markets,” said Christophe De Hauwer, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at SES.

SES is renowned for its leading role in technological and business innovation in the satellite industry, and actively promotes innovation through various initiatives.

SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES’s portfolio includes ASTRA, O3b and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com

Seraphim is a London-based venture capital fund manager. Seraphim typically invests at Series A stage into IP-led businesses that have the potential to redefine large existing markets or create entirely new ones. Over the last decade this has included artificial intelligence (computer vision, neural networks, machine learning), the Internet of Things (software, sensors) and advanced materials (polymers, semiconductors). Collectively, the Seraphim team has more than 100 years’ experience, having invested in over 180 early and growth stage businesses.

German-based global satellite provider CETel, enabled by SES Networks’ end-to-end managed connectivity solutions, has transformed mining operations in one of the most remote, land-locked sites in the world with access to cloud-based systems.
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